Coming to Terms
by Zeida-and-Maria
Summary: A Prequel to Fall to Pieces. Oneshot. On a rainy day, Axel finds a bloody, dying Riku on the streets of the World that Never was. ONE-SHOT COMPLETE


**Coming to Terms **

**By Zeida and Maria (Really just Maria, this time!)**

**Summary: **A Prequel to Fall to Pieces. One-shot

**Warnings:** Really freaky situations. Violence. Really freaky situations. Language. Really freaky situations. Did I mention really freaky situations?

**Disclaimers: **I do not own it!

**--------------------------------------------**

_Prologue: _

Somewhere in the middle of Castle Oblivion, far from any prying eyes, a small black dot appeared on the ground. It grew until it was perhaps six feet in length and four feet wide. It began to bubble up as a strange shape pressed out off it. The inky blackness tore away in strained strips revealing a young blond woman. She sat up slowly, brushing her antenna like bangs out of her face. She looked around in confusion.

"The hell? I thought I was dead..."

(A/N:The plot hole likes Larxene...Be nice, it's part of the plot.)

**--------------------------------------------**

_Friday the thirteenth _

_3:00 AM: _

_I guess it was true what they say about this day... _Thought a bloody and battered Riku. It was raining hard now and he still couldn't move an inch. Today was the day he had tried to retrieve Roxas for Di_Z_. The nobody was supposed to fix Sora, so the silver haired boy had no second thoughts at going imminently to catch him. It had surprised the aqua eyed boy to no end when the blond nobody and easily kicked his ass.

And now he was probably dying, unable to move. In the rain. The damned day lived up to it's name.

Riku groaned and tried again to at least sit up. A sharp pain lanced up his spine and he fell back again, hurting himself even more. His vision was starting to fade, not good. He knew he was bleeding, and that was the most likely cause of his faintness.

It also meant that he would never get up again if he didn't get help.

"Sora..." he whispered, his eyes sliding shut. Just before they closed, he thought he saw a movement above him, a flash of red. Strange...

Was he in hell for not being able to save Sora already?

**--------------------------------------------**

_Monday the sixteenth _

_4:13 PM:_

Axel didn't understand it. Why had he done it? He had saved someone. Him. Axel. The Flurry of Dancing Flames! Saved someone...

The silver haired kid was sleeping on his bed, all bandaged up. _His _bed. In _his _room. Under _his _covers. Wrapped in _his _bandages. The ungrateful whelp was even breathing _his _air!

Ugh... Why had he done it? He hadn't had a good night's sleep it three days! But that kid... He had been beat up pretty bad, and would no doubt have died out there.

It was a dog eat dog world.

It was wrong, his face...

You'll get in trouble when someone finds him.

_If_. And the way he said that name. He really wanted to live.

So? What business was that of his?

Alright, so the kid reminded the green eyed man of himself. That's why he had done it. Got it memorized!

Axel groaned, almost drowning out a similar groan from his patient. The red head quickly clapped a hand over the pale mouth, or someone less friendly would hear him.

Aqua eyes stared at him. So the brat was finally awake. The nobody listened carefully for any sounds from the hall. After ensuring that they were alone, he turned to his ward.

"How ya feeling, kid?"

A pale, bandaged arm reached out from under the covers to point at Axel's hand. It was still over the boys mouth. The red head grinned sheepishly and removed it.

"Who are you?" Riku winced at his own croak of a voice. He looked up at the man that saved him. The man looked back and raised an eyebrow.

"Hey kid, let's get this straight. I ask the questions."

Riku frowned, "Like hell you do," His voice was coming back, "Tell me who you are!"

Silver and red hair flew back as Axel jumped on him, covering his mouth. "Do you wanna _die_!" he hissed.

"Cause you're goin'-"

The door flew open to reveal a familiar blond. "Axel! I'm back, and aren't you surprised to see-" Larxene froze as she took in the strange sight presented to her.

Axel was straddling a silver haired and very pretty boy, his hands were clamped together other the boys mouth and they were pressed _very _close together. Both were staring at her with a look of mute horror.

"Woah... Am I _interrupting _something?" The blond nobody half sang. She started slowly backing out of the room.

Both the males lept from the bed and dragged her back into the room. She squeaked and was about to yell that _No_! She _didn't_ wasn't to join there creepy kinky boy...love.

They clamped their hands over her mouth.

"Shh! Just shut up Larx! This isn't what it looks like! You never saw this boy!"

The aqua eyed kid nodded his head vigorously.

Larxene brought up her hand, motioning that she wasn't going to yell. Axel slowly released her.

"You didn't see him?"

"Nope."

"He was never here?"

"Who?"

"Good, I'll give you these really freaky pictures of Saix and Xigbar."

" ''Kay."

"Larxene?"

_"More!"_

"How are you here?"

**---------------------------------------------**

_Tuesday the twenty-fourth _

_8:39 PM:_

Riku stood, wobbling on unsteady legs. It was just past a week since he had first awoken. This was the first day Axel had let him out of bed. The nobody in question was glaring at him, convinced he would tip over any second now. The silver haired teen straightened out, balancing finally. The red head raised an eyebrow.

'Three... Two... One.' he thought. Riku cartwheeled his arms, trying to regain his lost composure. He fell forward, into black clad arm. The older man dragged his back to the bed and shoved him under the covers.

"Told you so." he said. Aqua eyes scowled at him, the teen's mouth creased into a pout, glaring at the nobody.

Axel sighed and offered a sandwich, which was devoured hungrily.

"Why are you still here?"

Riku looked up at him, then shrug ed, "Dunno..." he said. Neither male understood what was going on.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Saturday the twenty-eighth _

_6:05 PM:_

"Well, your walking..." Axel stated. "Do humans always take this long to recover?"

His companion glared at him, but the look held no animosity. "Sadly." Riku said. He took another step forward, his balance and composure staying with him for once. The silver haired teen walked around the room slowly. After a couple laps, he sped up until he was jogging lightly.

"Stop." The green eyed nobody ordered. Riku ignored him. Suddenly there was a lithe body blocking his way and the young man crashed. They both fell to the floor, Riku sprawled on top, and a slightly annoyed Axel stuck underneath.

"Get off..." he muttered, almost venomously.

Riku didn't move. "I... Can't...?" the teen looked at the man below him, a look of pure embarrassment plastered on his face.

Axel sighed and shoved the boy roughly off. He stood and looked down. "Well? Up, now. I knew you hadn't recovered."

The silver haired boy just looked up at him, his eyes pleading and his face bright red.

The nobody sighed and stooped to pick the boy up. He carried him, bridal style to the bed and was just about to set him down when the door burst open.

In the doorway was Larxene. Again. She opened her mouth, about to inform her teammate of something, when the scene dawned on her. Again.

"I'm interrupting something again." she muttered matter-of-factly. Axel shook his head and dropped a squawking Riku onto the bed.

He walked over to her in the same way one approaches a cornered animal, or a small child with your car keys.

"Okay, Larx, what do you want to keep you very quiet...?" the red haired man hissed.

The blond thought for a second then grinned. She looked coyly and the half paralyzed boy on the bed, the back at Axel. "I want..." she began. "Apictureofitthenexttimeyoudo_It_!" the female nobody squealed, before turning to run down the hall. She spun around and yelled something about a meeting next Thursday, but neither boy heard it. Who knew that blushing affected your hearing?

**---------------------------------------------**

_Thursday the third _

_7:15 AM:_

Axel chased a yelling and screaming Riku around the newly sound-proofed room.

"I _WON"T_" the silveret screamed at him. "You can't make me!"

"Oh, yes I _can_!" the enraged nobody bellowed back. He lept in to a flying tackle, catching the boy's legs and wrapping his arms around them. They both plummeted to the floor with a loud thump. The red head briefly wondered if someone could here them even through the sound barrier. Nah, It held Demyx's singing in the shower, didn't it?

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" wailed the captured teen.

Axel growled at him and summoned several dusks, and with one arms still wrapped around a kicking and screaming Riku, he pointed the teen. The inferior nobodies grabbed the aqua eyed boy's arms and legs without hesitating and hoisting him upright. The red haired nobody stood and walked cheerfully to the bath room. He knelt by the sink as his companion was dragged in, still struggling and informing Axel just what he felt about this whole mess, in a most rated R way.

"Axel let me go this instant! -Hey, what are you doing with the water- I said no!"

The older nobody just grinned in a very frightening way and walked to the medicine cabinet, behind the mirror, after turning the water to a comfortable temperature. He pulled out a plastic bottle filled with a violent purple liquid, Riku stared at in abject horror.

"Nooooooooo." he moaned again.

Axel was walking back now, a creepy grin still plastered on his face. He motioned and the nobodies holding his captive forced him over the edge of the tub. He knelt alongside him and violently shoved the struggling boy under the running water. Riku shrieked and protested and yanked at the nobodies but nothing helped. His hair was soon soaked and the elite nobody pulled him out and amazingly gently applied the purple goo.

Riku reluctantly relaxed, this was kind of nice, where had Axel learned to massage like that...? The man was being strangely gentle.

The dye was now violet lather in his hair when the red-head finally released him. They sat back against the tub, the dusks vanishing.

"You're not gonna want to wash that out until it's finished setting in..." Axel informed him.

The wet teen glared at him.

"Well, you could, I wouldn't stop you. It's just that you would end up looking like Marluxia."

"What?" he spat.

"Pink."

The nobody laughed at the look of horror that passed on his face. Riku sighed, his eyes wide and nearly did a, very skillful, face plant into his knees, but Axel's hand stopped him.

"You want your clothes purple too?"

The aqua eyed boy glared at him. "How long." He demanded.

"Half and hour."

"Distract me."

**---------------------------------------------**

_Thursday the third _

_8:00 AM:_

"Goddamn You!" Riku wailed as he dove into the bathroom. He lunged at the tub, which might have fled in fright if it wasn't bolted down. The twisted the water tap so hard it almost broke. Boiling water began to flood out.

"This is your fault!"

Axel quickly followed him into the room.

"How is it my fault!"

Riku knelt a little hard next to the tub, waiting impatiently for Axel to rise the dye out.

"You cheated!"

The red-headed nobody turned down the water, thinking that Riku might just want his head to remain un-scalded.

"I cheated! I _Cheated_! How the hell do you cheat in Parcheesi!"

The not-so-silver-haired boy seemed to neglect the notion that he was perfectly capable of rinsing his own hair.

"I don't know, but you did!"

Axel knelt down, feeling the water again to check the temperature. Very nice, just right.

"And what does that have to do with anything!"

Riku leaned over the tub, near the faucet, and waited obediently for his companion.

"You cheated so I _had _to demand another game to put things right, and now I'm LATE! Who knows what happened to my poor hair!"

Axel turned the shower head on and began to rise the purple out, careful not to hurt the teen.

"I told you before, It won't affect anything, and YOU WERE THE ONE THAT WANTED TO PLAY SO MANY TIMES!"

The water ran violet for a moment before slowly shifting back to clear.

"BECAUSE YOU CHEATED!"

The leaned away from the tub once more, still arguing, while the nobody looked around for a mirror.

"YOU WON ALL THE FREAKING GAMES!"

Riku was silent for a minute while he surveyed the change in his hair.

"It was...fun..."

Axel looked around for something else, attracting the now purple haired teen's curiosity.

"Yeah... it was... Even when you flipped the board and- Aha! Found it!"

Axel came back, holding a metal wire brush, scissors, a comb and an electric hair-dryer. Riku looked on warily as he plugged it in, and dragged out a stool out into the middle of the tiled room.

"What are you doing...?"

"Come 'ere and sit down." Axel motioned to the seat.

"Um... " he muttered, unsure, but he obeyed. The man hadn't hurt him yet.

_Yet_.

"Don't be so nervous. I'm just gonna get rid of a few split ends I noticed and even it out. The hair-dyer is so we don't have to wait to see the finished product of my genius."

Riku snorted.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Thursday the third _

_8:30 AM:_

Riku ignored the small hand mirror in favor of the larger on the bathroom wall. He spun once, getting a quick look at the back. It wasn't... bad. But it would take getting used to. His _old _hair didn't need getting used to.

Although Axel did get rid of the split ends very nicely.

And the color wasn't awful.

"It's okay..." he decided verbally. Axel grinned in a what-else-did-you-expect way.

"But... you cut my hair to short, I like it long, and the purple is too deep, I want it to wash out easily, and- WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Axel didn't seem to like the criticism. Or at least that's what it seemed like when he shoved Riku into the still fairly full tub.

"The _HELL _AXEL!" he shrieked. The teen half lunged out of the water and ...glomped... the red head. Like a monster of the deep - the infamous lock Ness, or sea serpent- Riku dragged the unfortunate nobody into the tub until both were soaked.

"Freak..."

"Idiot..."

"Nobody..."

"Not-Quite-Human..."

"Violent..."

"Good-"

"For-"

"Nothing..."

"Jerk..."

_"What did you call me!"_ Both yelled in unison.

Riku pulled off his soaked shirt and twirled it into a whip-like object. He snuck up behind Axel, who had turned his back of the teen after the last out burst. Grinning like a mad man he brought down the soggy article heavily over the other's head.

Larxene stepped unnoticed into the room. Riku chased Axel around, shirtless. He made a running leap, Axel's and his own shirts in hand, and tackled.

Click.

Flash.

This time, the blonde was prepared. She lowered the camera to reveal a smirking face at the two. Riku, now purple haired, stared at her like a deer caught in front of a parade of movers trucks with it's feet fused to the ground. He was straddling Axel, who was on his stomach, and had used the still fairly damp shirts to severely restrict the older man's movement. What he was going to do to the nobody after all that preparation, however, seemed to have fled his mind as he stared at Larxene, realizing the position they were in. The epiphany didn't seem to do much for his frozen muscles.

The delighted blonde nobody smiled at them a moment then left, closing the door on the two wide eyed gazes boring into her back.

"Play _nice_, you two..."

**---------------------------------------------**

_Friday the Fourth _

_10:00 AM:_

"This is him, Kirux." Axel stated to the remainder of Organization XIII. They looked on at the strange looking nobody, that the Pyro-maniac said had wanted to join them.

He had just past shoulder length violent purple hair. It seemed to be layered and the shorter lengths splayed out. His skin was deathly pale, contrasting strongly with the vibrant violet of his hair. He was tall, though not as tall as the red head beside his, and he wore the black cloak common to all higher nobodies.

The new-comer, Kirux, bowed slightly but said nothing. Roxas stared at him. _Hmmmm._

Why had Axel brought someone new? That was usually Xemnas' job.

Meanwhile, poor 'Kirux' was misinterpreting the gaze.

He recognizes me... He recognizes me... He _recognizes _me...

Suddenly the blonde boy shot his hand into the air, effectively gaining everyone's attention. "Why don't you sit over here, with Axel and myself?"

**---------------------------------------------**

_Saturday the Fifth _

_4:45 PM:_

Axel watched in a helpless awe as Riku -er Kirux and Roxas sparred. Roxas would not use the keyblades against his new friend, because the purple-haired boy had no weapon. Instead, Kirux use a powerful darkness, and hand to hand combat. It was beautiful to watch. The red head realized what a prize he had found, dying in the road. This guy was strong!.

He also realized how strong his enemy must have been to hurt him that bad.

All in all it was very fun to watch. They were growing tired now, reaching some sort of stalemate. Riku had no weapon, that he would tell, and Roxas wouldn't use his... so... They tied. Yeah. It was the journey that counted, watching Kirux move like that, all glisten-y from working out. The older nobody suddenly felt very uncomfortable in the small room. His green eyes widened as he looked slowly down, dreading the outcome.

"Shit..." he whispered. Carefully Axel rose, and quietly left to two cooling down boys for a long, very cold shower.

Nitrogen? Where was the nitrogen?

**---------------------------------------------**

_Saturday the Fifth _

_11:06 PM:_

Riku watched as Axel helped to carry the stuff into his new room. He was across from Axel's who's was next to Roxas'. Everyone Else's rooms were a little more spread apart. The red head had insisted that the teen was still a little weak from his near death experience-

_That was a _month _ago-_

- and that he looked to delicate to handle the heavy stuff anyway.

It was kinda sweet... And he looked really hot in the tight black cloak letting the muscles show...

Did he just think that!

Well, it wasn't as if there was someone _else _to think that... No, there was but he had been able to ignore _that _voice for a while now.

Since he had met Axel.

Oh. Shit.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Wednesday the Ninth _

_6:15 AM:_

Axel giggle happily, Roxas and Kirux following warily. They still had not quiet gotten used to each others company. The red head drew out some pictures, careful to keep them out of sight of the two behind him. The purple haired teen tried looking over his shoulder several time, once or twice joined by Roxas. But the older nobody was too good. Finally they stopped, then looked at each other. They looked back at the red head and nodded.

Axel looked behind him, wondering why they had given up so suddenly. There was no one there. There couldn't have gotten bored and left could they? The green eyed man wanted them to see Xigbar's reaction.

He pouted and turned around again to see Kirux and Roxas staring open mouthed at the photos- wait "How did you get those!"

"How did _you_!" The aqua eyed boy squeaked, blushing. The blond ground his hands into his eyes.

"I'm never gonna get rid of that image."

"You tricked me!" Axel whined. The other two glared at him.

"Forget that! Why the HELL do you have NAKED PICTURES OF **SAIX**!" They howled.

A black and purple blur appeared out of nowhere, trampling Roxas and Kirux to the ground. Xigbar gazes down at the pictures happily. The eye visible curved into a cheerful arch as he wandered away pictures in tow, and muttering.

"Oooooh... how cute... I didn't know he did _that_... Hmmm... kind small, but that's okay, I'm gonna be seme..."

The three stared after him, hearing all too well the muttering.

"Well...That was..." Roxas said in wonderment.

"... _interesting_..." Kirux finished.

"Hmmm... Not exactly what I had in mind..." Axel said.

They glared at him.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Friday the Eleventh _

_9:10 PM:_

Xemnas sighed, banging the hammer on his desk again in a deject manner. Larxene was selling some kind of photos around. Axel was plotting. Saix was doing... something... with Xigbar.

Bang.

Xaldin was preening. Roxas was aiming a spell at him. Kirux blushed uncontrollably when he saw whatever Larxene as selling. Whatever it was, he probably didn't want to know anymore.

Bang.

He was now chasing her around the meeting room. Demyx was singing something New Age under his breath and didn't seem to notice that his chair had been on fire for several minutes.

Bang.

Xaldin was now screeching about random lightning attacks making his hair stand on end.

Bang.

Roxas and Kirux(who was sitting on a teary Larx) were laughing at the increasingly annoyed look on Axel's face as the Melodious Nocturne refused to notice his chair.

Bang.

The nobodies actually started to look up from what(or who)ever they were doing when Xemnas started to use his head as the hammer... And then as what preceded the hammer. Axel winced at a particularly hard swing.

"Erm... Xemnas... sir?" Kirux tried tentatively. Demyx walked carefully up to him and somehow replaced the hard, metallic mallet with a much harder, spiky mace. Half the room shouted and dove towards their leader in single-minded terror.

Xemnas looked up, strange bloodstained(or something else that we would rather not talk of that leaved brownish stains) mace inched from his head. He looked blearily at them, "You listening, now?" he demanded.

They nodded nervously and tried to take the dangerous thing away, but the white haired man waved it at them in a deliriously scary fashion.

"Sit." He ordered. The all obeyed. Staring at him in mute fascination, much like how one feels when the try to wash their clothes (the two month old ones) only to discover that they went and evolved into a new species.

Luckily, the rest of the meeting was fairly uneventful, save that Saix and Xigbar were being sent on a 'mission' on the grounds that no one wanted to walk in on them again. Ever.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Monday the Fourteenth _

_8:49 PM:_

The black form sprung up all around them.

"You see, this is why we don't want Saix and Xigbar going on vacation! _They _scare these thing _away_!" Axel hollered. He heard a laugh from his left where Riku - Kirux - was back to back with Roxas, fending of heartless in a circled. Axel blasted his way over to them.

"Hey, guys!" he greeted cheerfully, They grinned back at him, pulverizing the shadows that dared to creep near them.

Then it all went wrong. Axel could remember it seeming like everything slowed down. Everything seemed to tick by, but he couldn't get there in time. Neither of them could.

More advanced heartless started to appear, then there was the explosion, in between them, blasting them in all different directions. Roxas and Axel easily recovered, flipping away from the danger zone, and onto the buildings.

Riku recovered too, but the dark monsters seemed to be focusing on him. A flying one, a pirate thing, appeared behind him and dealt him a heavy blow.

"Gah!" Both nobodies had spun at the noise, watching as their friend seemed to fall towards the ground in slow motion. The lunged toward him, hoping to catch him. They were so far away, moving so slow...

A small army of those Halloween town heartless, Wight Knights, appeared and knocked him even further away. Riku hit the ground and bounced. His didn't move as the huge centaur Assault Rider galloped toward him. It brought it's lightning shaped staff high into the air and plunged it down as it passed the prone form.

"**GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**"

The scream ripped through the nobodies. They froze, staring at the horrible monster with it's weapon sticking out of their best friend. Riku's eyes were wide staring at nothing, tears streaming down his cheeks from the pain in his chest. He coughed violently, still pinned to the ground, and blood splattered out of his mouth.

Neither nobody notice they had moved until moment later when they looked around, seeing nothing but a mountain of heartless corpses. Between them was their fallen comrade. Roxas knelt down carefully, checking Riku's pulse and breathing. Axel, as tenderly as he could, removed the weapon from the purple haired boy's chest.

Aqua eyes stared at them pleadingly, "...help..." before he lost consciousness.

Damn it!

**---------------------------------------------**

_Thursday the Seventeenth _

_4:45 AM:_

Roxas couldn't remember being happier. His face split into a wide grin as Larxene relayed the news.

"He's gonna be okaay! He's gonna be okaay!" Axel sang, dancing in the background. He did a little pirouette, to the amusement of those around him

The blonde nobody shook her head, smiling at their antics, "That's right, and you two can visit him, but you have to take care of him-"

They were gone before she had the chance to finish her sentence. Smirking, Larxene wandered off.

Axel bounce all over the place, happily telling their newly awakened friend all that had happened in his sleep. Roxas sat at his side make sure he had taken all the medication, and occasionally making a random comment to Axel's stories.

"And then when Saix came back, he sooooo flipped, 'cause of the way Demyx painted the room."

"You made him."

"I didn't _make_ him, I threatened him!"

"Yeah," Riku whispered, drawing their attention, "Dem could have just chosen to let himself be lit on fire!"

They all laughed.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Saturday the Nineteenth _

_12:25 PM:_

"Riku... IthinkIreallyreallylikeyou!"

Roxas had just left the room, feeling some sort of tension that they needed to work out in privacy.

Riku stared at him, confusion written on his delicate features. "What...?" he whispered, voice hoarse.

It was so hard to see him like this, all bandaged up on his bed.

"I- I think I really like you..." Axel repeated. He sat beside the bed, just like he had done when Riku had first come to him. What would he gave done if he knew this would happen?

The red head still would have rescued the boy, he knew it.

"It's just... When the heartless attracted you... I thought you were done for... again... It hurt so much, I couldn't find any other explanation for it."

_It felt like I had a heart._

The purple haired teen looked at him, eyes unreadable. Axel started to twitch under the gaze. "W-well, even if you don't like me, too could we stay-"

"I do."

"-friends- What!" Axel sprang up from his seat, staring at the younger male as tough he had sprouted a third... _head_!

_Without _the second...

That was just weird.

"I said 'I do', as in I like you too." said the weakened boy matter-of-factly.

"You... do!" the nobody squeaked.

"Yes."

"Reall-"

"Is it really that hard to except?" the dark teen pouted.

Axel nodded. Riku motioned for him to come closer, making for to whisper something in his ear. The red head leaned forward nervously, not knowing what to expect.

Riku kissed him lightly on the cheek then lay back in the bed again. He was recovering, but still tired.

Well... He certainly hadn't expected _that._

"You realize that Larxene is gonna have a reason to ask for pictures now?"

**---------------------------------------------**

_Tuesday the Twenty-second _

_5:00 PM:_

Riku walked hand in hand with Axel as they wandered the streets of Radiant gardens together. The were in disguise, so the had left the cloaks back at the Castle. Instead they were dressed as normal humans.

Which neither were, really.

Riku wore a nice comfortable sleeveless white jacket, with a black turtleneck and baggy jeans, as well as comfy sneakers. Axel bore a light, black button up shirt, with the collar messed up and the top and bottom couple buttons undone. He had right, dark blue jeans and slightly nicer shoes than sneaker, but not dressy.

They looked as different as night and day.

The pair stopped at a nice cafe for Coffee and talked for a while, not noticing the all to familiar waiter.

"May I take your order?" Demyx asked sweetly. Neither looked up.

"Oh, yeah, I think I'll have coffee."

"Same, thank you."

The NUC (Nobody UnderCover) skipped away happily to fulfill the order... and then some.

In the kitchen, Almost all of Organization XIII gathered, with the exception of Saix and Xigbar, who went on 'vacation'...

Demyx came in, giving five orders to Larx, who was playing Chef. "Hey, why'd ya have to get the other customers too?" she grumbled.

"He would have looked suspicius otherwise!" Roxas reprimanded.

"Yeah, Larx, just drug the coffee already."

She giggled happily, pulling the aphrodisiac from her pocket. Carefully, she poured half into one cup and half into another.

Demyx took the loaded tray a moment later and started to serve the customers. He decided to do Axel and Riku last as he wanted to watch, too.

Larxene giggle as all the nobodies watched with bated breath as the NUC made his way to The Table. "Do you have your camera?" Roxas hissed. The other blond nodded happily, eye still locked on the oblivious couple. Suddenly there was a loud disturbance, all in the cafe area turned to see a couple in the table just right of The Table, just kept at each other...

And started kissing and groping and Larxene has just covered Roxas eyes...

Axel stared at the very... active couple. "Riku... you wanna... go somewhere else?"

Riku blinked owlishly. "Um... yeah... let's go." The pair crept off, unnoticed in the makey-outy chaos.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Tuesday the Twenty-second _

_9:06 PM:_

Axel and Riku stared out at the setting sun, basking in the dimming warmth. They stayed in companionable silence, exhausted by the active day. (Larx made several other botched attempts) Axel turned to his new found love, staring as the sunset colors danced on the pale boy's skin.

"Hey, Riku?"

"Hmmm?" the boy turned to him, smiling serenely.

"Together, forever?"

The purple haired boy leaned into him, tilting his head as he kissed the nobody.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Axel leaned down again, bridging the short distance between their lips. The stayed like that for a good while, oblivious to the comings and goings of such less important things as the world around them.

Neither noticed the flash.

Larx smiled at the picture perfect kiss, preserved forever, just for them.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Friday the First _

_10:48 AM:_

Riku stared. How could he have not noticed that?

How could he have forgotten?

A sharp pain erupted in his chest, sending him to his knees in the practice room. Roxas and Axel stopped sparring and turned with concern to their friend.

"Kirux? What's wrong?"

"How could I?How could I?howcouldihowcouldi?" The boy rocked himself back ad forth, curling into as small a ball as possible. He stared at the long, ornate blade in Roxas hand.

The keyblade.

Like Sora's keyblade.

Sora.

_Sora._

_Sora._

_**Sora! **_

**_SORA!_**

How could he have forgotten SORA!

**---------------------------------------------**

Sunday the Third

_11:58 PM:_

Riku sat in his room alone. He stared briefly at the food in front of him before banishing it to some unknown realm with darkness.

Again.

(A/N: Unknown to him, several worlds away, a bowl of soup added itself to a growing mass of... objects, balanced on Queen Minnie's head.)

The purple haired boy felt like his emotions were the most tangled knot. He couldn't get it undone. He couldn't abandon Sora after all this time. They were best friends and Riku owed him more than he could ever imagine.

But how could he abandon Axel? How could he take _his _best friend away?

Riku laughed at a sudden though. Maybe he should just take Alexander the Great's way out of this.

Cut it. heehee. In half too! Right down the middle. Splat! All Gone!

He laughed harder, tears running down from his already red rimmed eyes. Axel came in to check on him and imminently pulled him into a tight hug. The purple haired boy began to sob into his shoulder.

"I have to go back..." he wailed, muted, into the black cloth. "I have to help him, but how could I?"

Axel rubbed soothing circles in the younger boy's back, lulling him to a strained sleep. He had to fix this. He had to make things right again.

He had to let Riku go home.

**---------------------------------------------**

_Friday the Tenth_

_4:00 AM:_

"No... No! Please, Axel!" Riku sobbed, his lithe arms wrapped desperately around his boyfriend's legs. Wide desperate eyes stared at him, begging. Axel looked away, unable to stand it. "Don't do this to me! I don't want to!"

Axel peeled the teen aways from his legs and clutched him to his chest. "Riku... This is killing you. Nothing else will work." The nobody pushed the purple haired boy away from him, summoning several sorcerer nobodies to imprison him. "I'm so sorry... " The nobody whispers.

Riku stared at him, shoulders slumped. Aqua eyes dulled with resignation, and he shuddered almost uncontrollably. He would have fallen if not for the nobodies holding him up.

"Please..." he tried one last time.

The red haired man shook his head, dragging up one arm to cover his lover's eyes and forehead. He opened his mouth, letting one command slip out before he lost his nerve.

"Forget."

Tears ran down both pale faces, not even slowing after Axel's hand moved away and Riku's eyes slipped closed. With a snap, the sorcerers vanished and the nobody caught the teen as he fell. Carefully, Axel wiped the dye from the younger's hair with darkness, though it was still tinted. Gently and more tender than anyone who knew him would have expected, Axel carried the sleeping Riku far away from the castle, depositing him in the empty, _safe_ Betwixt and Between. leaning down one last time he placed a soft, chaste kiss on his lips, before leaving.

He didn't turn back.

He didn't see the tears still streaming down Riku's face.

**The End **

**Or... **

**Not?**


End file.
